On Sunday, the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers play for the first time since Game 7 of last year’s NBA Finals(ABC, 3:30 p.m. ET). Sunday’s game, at Staples Center in downtown L.A., is the latest showdown in the league’s most storied rivalry.

We asked the brains who run the NBA.com StatsCube to dig a little deeper into the statistics of this bicoastal brouhaha. All these numbers, unless otherwise noted, are since the 2007-08 season.

The Lakers’ best 5-man combination in the regular season against Boston (with greater than 10 minutes together) has been Kobe Bryant, Derek Fisher, Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom and Luke Walton at +8.7 per 48 minutes.

Walton has averaged only 8.7 MPG this season. And he’s played only 10+ minutes in 11 games this season. However, seven of those 11 games have occurred this month (including his last six). Is Phil Jackson warming up Walton for Boston on Sunday?

Not surprisingly, the Lakers’ best five-man combination with greater than 15 minutes together in all games (playoffs and regular season) against Boston has been Ron Artest, Bryant, Fisher, Gasol and Odom at +10.5 per 48 minutes in 64 minutes together.

In all games against Boston, this Lakers lineup has held the Celtics to a mere 38.3 percent shooting and 90.8 points per 48 minutes.

The Celtics’ best trio in all games (playoffs and regular season) against Los Angeles (with greater than 100 minutes together) has been Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Kendrick Perkins at +7.9 per 48 minutes in 340 minutes together.

The next best Celtics trio in those games against Los Angeles has been the Big Three of Ray Allen, Pierce and Garnett at +4.8 per 48 minutes in 515 minutes together. When together, they held the Lakers to 93.0 points per 48 minutes. As a point of reference, since 2007-08, the Lakers’ average scoring rate has been 104.3 points per 48 minutes.

Bryant shoots better against Boston when Perkins is on the floor (41.7 percent) than when Perkins is off the floor (38.3%).

However, Bryant gets to the free-throw line less frequently with Perkins on the floor (5.6 FTAs per 36 minutes) than when Perkins is off the court (7.5 FTAs per 36 minutes). Overall, Bryant’s Lakers perform worse with Kobe and Perkins on the floor at the same time (-5.0 per 48 minutes) than when Bryant is on the court and Perkins is off the floor (-1.5 per 48 minutes).

Former Laker Jordan Farmar had the Lakers’ worst overall plus-minus against the Celtics (-60 overall and -9.6 per 48 minutes), while ex-Laker Vladimir Radmanovic (+24 overall and +7.1 per 48 minutes) and current Laker Artest (+320 overall and +3.0 per 48 minutes) had the best. Gasol has been relatively even at -1 overall against Boston.

Pierce has had the Celtics’ best overall plus-minus against the Lakers (+67 overall and +4.3 per 48 minutes), while Glen Davis (-30 overall and -6.4 per 48 minutes) has had the worst. Boston’s next best plus-minus players on a per 48 minute basis (with a minimum of 75 MP) were two shooters no longer with their team – Eddie House at +14.6 per 48 minutes and James Posey at +11.3 per 48 minutes.

The Lakers’ typical offensive efficiency (points per 100 possessions) in the playoffs since 2007-08 has been 108.2. But that rate has dropped in playoff games against the Celtics to 101.4. Against Boston in the playoffs, the Lakers have shot 3.6 percent worse from the field and 4.3 percent worse on 3-pointers relative to their overall playoff rates.

Since 2007-08, the Lakers’ scoring rates in the playoffs overall (102.0 PPG) has still been significantly higher than in their playoff games against Boston (92.1 PPG).

Kobe the bad shadow of Jordan was the reason of the loss. HE HAD NO ASSIST AT ALL. HE GOT NOBODY ELSE INVOLVED. STOP PRAISING THIS GUY JUST BECAUSE HE HAS A NICE JUMPER AND GOOD MOVES. AS USUAL
SOMEBODY ELSE TAKE THE BLAME FOR THE LOSS. IN GAME 7 LAST YEAR 6 OUT OF 24 AND HE WAS THE MVP. OOO YEAH HE HAD 15 REB.

Go LAL!!!!!!!!!!! Keep working together , pushing one onother to get better. God is on our side. Keep working under the leadership of Black Mamba……..send Phil Jackson out the right way…..another ring!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Celtics are the best team in the NBA. I’m sorry if you think differently, but the fact is that nobody else is willing to get down and do the dirty work — dive for balls, take charges, get floor burns — as much as the C’s. No, not even LA.

They have he best point guard in the league (NOT the best SCORING point guard, but the best PASSING point guard), they have an unbelievable lineup of bigs, and they move the ball better than any other team. If you watch a Celts game, EVERY SINGLE POSSESSION they pass the ball all over the place until they find the right man at the right time at the right spot . . . and he almost always knocks it down.

As far as last years Finals go, it could have gone either way. In my opinion, it was a tie, becuase the game was won in those final minutes when you sometimes need a little bit of luck . . . and it just didn’t go the Celtics’ way. It wasn’t that LA played any better.

As far as todays game goes, I think the Celtics will win, but it could go either way. We all know LA is notorious for playing half-heartedly until playoffs time, so you never know what will happen during the midseason.

In my opinion, Celts win championship #18 this year. Take it or leave it.

I HAVE SO MUCH FAITH IN BOSTON, THE LAKERS ARE A DEEP TEAM, AND KOBE IS A BEAST,, BUT WHEN THE GREEN MACHINE IS GREASED AND OILED RIGHT,AND KENDRICK IS NEARLY HEALTHY, PLUS THEY HAVE SHAQ, THEY ARE HARD TO BEAT!!

To all the people saying that the celtics because they didn’t have Perkins remember Lakers had Bynum playing with a knee injury and Kobe with a crapload of finger injuries. Even the odds Lakers will still come out top.

Kobe falling from the top of the list of active players??? Losing a step because of the mileage is one thing but he is still at top of his game. His stats are solid and most importantly he knows what it takes to win and has the team around him to do so. With that being said when you know how and are winning consistently (last 2 of 3 years) how are you not at the top of your game?

Celts fan here. I’m looking for a really intense game like everyone else. I think the Celts have the advantage in this one presuming no one collapses with an injury. In any event, should be exciting if Kobe gets hot with Shaq on the floor.

Celtics fans don’t forget the Green is on the road! Challenges there, but I’m betting the Celts in a close game.

Hey everyone, the “my team will win by 30” comments make you sound like idiots. These two teams play hard and are well matched. If this is a blowout by either side I’ll be shocked.

Who cares if the Celtics come into Staples and win or have beaten the Spurs already… The REAL NBA season starts in the Spring/Summer, and that is when the Lakers become interested in playing basketball and take it off cruise control like they do in the Regular Season

They’re clearly not always on cruise control during the regular season, they’ve won the west the last three years. Lakers fans have just started saying that this season, because they’re not going to win the west. This proves they’re not the best in the west anymore, which shows, chances are, they won’t win the playoffs.

wow.. Celtics fans still can’t get over the fact they lost… yeah perkins got injured for one game.. boohoo.. lol.. I’m going to say this again… Bynum and Kobe was injured for the whole series.. thats why they both required surgery in the offseason.. so don’t give me that stupid excuse.. that Perkin was injured thats why Celtics lost.. lol.. the better team won that year and thats that..
Anyway onto.. the game.. everyone makes excuses for good teams.. saying they showed no effort.. really ? why would the lakers not want to win against the top teams in the league.. thats just a stupid assumption.. I mean you could say they were playing bad basketball but they didn’t want to win.. yeah okay lol

Last year kobe was probably the best basketball player in the league competing with Lebron James but face it, if you watch any news or are reading any articles this year kobe is unfortinatly losing his grip and is sliding away from the top active players in the league. He’s just getting older it’s the way of life so who ever is saying lakers are going to win because we have the best player in the league your wrong, but don’t get me wrong the Lakers can still win and kobe isn’t completely done. But unfortinutly for laker fans, the C’s are going to win, when KG is on the floor the C’s has the best defensive in the league and with getting the two oneal’s and perkins back the C’s completely own the paint with all that size and the C’s have to force the Lakers outside while the C’s will be cruising on offensive with probably the 3rd best point guard in the league Rajon Rondo. So sorry Laker fans but the C’s are taking this one home with them. And don’t talk about the last two season’s why the Lakers won. In 2009 KG had a broken leg and in 2010 the C’s should of won in game seven but because of Perkins injury in game 6 it gave the Lakers a clear advantage to go inside on the C’s so it didn’t matter how bad kobe was, it just mattered how much size the the Lakers had over the C’s. Let’s face it, if Celtics stay healthy until the last game this entire year they will win their 18th banner

The ref’s always favor LA at home. It’s almost as if there paid off. I wouldn’t be surprised but then again little surprises me these days. GO Celtics!!! Pierce and Ray need to play good and hit there shots

The Cs are gonna get this one Lakers got lucky during the game 7 of the finals why? because they were down 14 pts. all game long until the lakers started a run but let’s look at the facts the we were a bigman short! NO PERKINS! but still Kobe played like a miserable kid 6/24? he should thank Ron, Pau, and Derek playing big… I think the Celtics are gonna take this one we are much more hungrier. hungrier for one more playoff run, hungrier for banner number 18 hungrier for another ring ang REALLY SUPER VERY HUNGRY FOR PAYBACK!

omg evryones talkn about both teams and not the actual players advantages and weaknesses accept for kobe.. for the last 3 years lakers was my fav team and kobe was my fav player but for the last 2month ray allen has been my fav player(he was always 2nd after kobe but now first…) reason cuz lakers arent doin much this season…so i dnt now wu to cheer for …!!!! not sayn i dnt like lakers anymore jus takn break and goin to my 2nd fav team boston 4 a bit…so go both teams !!! ray hit 12+ 3s to piss kobe and kobe hit 40points to piss rayallen. interesting if artest and pierce get into scrap again…and also always fun to see rajon use his speed vs fisher but got blake now and i reck hes going to really play well vs rondo also always mean to watch kg and pau!!

Celtics are violent on D,plus the hold and push a lot. That is why James and Bosh are having a hard time with them because they are the girly types of players that is scared to be bump and get injured. LOL
Now the Lakers are fighting back on what the C’s are doing. That’s a team, don’t get scared.
And that won a championship…
Basketball is not just a bout show time, you can’t win a championship with that.

These are teams between them have probably have more depth, talent and championship swagger then any other’s in the NBA – two teams who have dominated the east and west (respectively) for the last 2-3 seasons.

To me personally, this is the most hotly anticipated matchup since the Miami-Boston season opener and I can’t wait!!

I’m a Celtic’s man myself (and naturally can’t stand the Lakers), but it doesn’t matter. This is one of those few matchups where no matter which team you support you absolutely MUST respect the opposition. Even if the other team wins, at leats you know they earned it.

Hell, the only thing that would bring dissapointment is a blowout – lets hope it’s a thriller!!

ı think kobe go for big night after sacramento loss .moreover he will take the revenge of 6-24 shooting in the 7 game of fials and he will play against shq that will fire him when all thisfactors mix it cause kobe willl explode in this game

What’s with people saying Lakers are “obviously” going to win? What makes you guys so sure that Lakers will “obviously” win? Keep in mind that Celtics have Shaq who can handle Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum in the post. There’s nothing obvious about who’s going to win between Lakers and Celtics. For example, when Lakers lost to Celtics in 2008 NBA Finals, was it obvious to the Lakers fans that the Lakers were going to win?

Huge Laker Fan here… but this is going to be a tight one,… if their fans are still so soar from last year, I can only imagine how pissed the players are. And LA doesn’t really care about regular season…lol

Also, RAAAAAAAAAAASHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED wallace: Bynum was hurt.. Kobe had a jacked knee, bad back and two broken fingers (not like Paul Pierce’s fake, I just broke my leg…) so please keep your excuses to yourself

PS> Phil shouldn’t have taken Kobe out when he was heating up last game against Sacramento..23 in the first Quarter!!!
Seriously he shuolda let him keep going.. He would have dropped 60 and we probably would have won! and even if we didn’t we would get to see another one of those crazy nights!

matt dud sorry but i do rember that either way we still one game 7 and its not just pau gasol as the only 7 footer in purp and gold theres a bigger one named andrew bynum and im sure that wen hes in the paint espically healthy it posts a greater defenseive threat soo even if kobes off his game the celts wont be able to keep up with the rest of the lakers like pau gasol or lamar odom maybe shannon brown or artest dfish or steve blake yaa no barnes witch will afect our d on paul pierce and wen artest not on the court paul will probably do better but in the ofense walton can run the triangle more efficently sooo if the lakers are actualy playing this one then no dout were taking it again

If LA didn’t show up for Miami or San Antonio this year why would they care about this game? Lakers probably won’t win but I don’t think they care and really why should they? Still it will be a good game to watch but I hope whichever way it goes people don’t start with the playoff predictions.

im pretty sure the lakers learned there lessons after those games and of course they care about this game, its a matchup after the finals which is really important but for sure the celtics want it more because theyre the ones who want revenge so there gonna be hungrier, so much rivalries, kobe shaq, laker celtics, gonna be an intense game but for some reason i think the celtics might win but we’ll see

I’m a big Celtics fan and no doubt I hated the Lakers but that is just love for the game!!! no team ever can play so good with the Celtics than the Lakers… been waiting for this game since the dreaded Game 7… Celtics Pride!!!

First… and the lakers-celtics game are always a horrible watch in terms of the quality of basketball and entertainment. Its an epic matchup don’t get me wrong, but I will be surprised if either team gets over 90 points. The games are more about defense and just grinding out a win, imposing your will on the opponent rather than electrifying dunks that we expect from such meetings. But to each his own I guess, if dunks is what you want then watch the blake griffin highlight reel so far this season, plenty there to entertain yourself with. Cheers;) LAKERS FTW

Should be a great game to watch, the Celtics with a bitter taste in their mouth, being so close but not winning. Perkins is back from a game 6 injury against the Lakers. Kobe and Shaq continues rivalry for rings. This could potentially be a look at what could be the NBA Finalists again. It will definatly feel like a playoff game!

More like best refereeing crew. I’ll definently watch all the footage of the finals last year, especially the +20 rebounding margin the Lakers gained as soon as Perk went down. Face it: If Kobe’s shots are off, the team is doomed when Perk is on the floor. LA can’t run it’s offense through Pau Gasol’s passing ability when he is being knocked around by a healthy KG and Kendrick Perkins. So it ends up being iso’s wiith Kobe, which according to Game 7 are 6-24, or 25% efficient.

Yeah, definently the best crew in the NBA no doubt. For 10 games this season our only center was Semih Erden, and yet were on top of the East. Where is Orlando and the Heatles? BOSTON 2010-2011

You just answered ur own question kobe was 6-24 but the lakers still won haha dont forget that happens once in a million kobe bein off we got the best player in the world on our team goodluck when in the finals

I keep hearing the argument of “best refereeing crew” and “boston only lost because of no Perk”. Isn’t that the same thing that happened to the Lakers in 08 no bynum? If the lakers had bynum in 08 that series would have been different for sure. Also if you look at last years finals it was pretty even. There were blown calls all through that series and if Boston would have won game 7 I would have that same argument. Fact is game 7 the Lakers TEAM stepped up even with kobe playing horribly. Artest for the most part kept pierce honest, and had a great game on the offensive end, ray allen had one big game the whole series, and Gasol played well game 7. Boston just choked straight up. Boston’s best player that game was Wallace but that wasn’t enough. I hope they both get back to the finals because then we will see what happens.

lol come on you know the celtics are going to win this. Last year the celts only lost to the lakers in the playoffs because they were missing a center. But in general the celtics pwn fast play-style teams like the lakers because they slow the game down alot by playing great defence.
Only question is how will they do against the spurs. And also, if by some chance the heat bring it together even more and have miller become a force on offence as well, what will the C’s defence do then?